Water supply to return to 40,000 homes today

HA NOI — About 40,000 households in the southwestern area of Ha Noi are expected to regain their water supply again today after a water pipe from the Da River in northern Hoa Binh Province broke, according to the Fresh Water Business and Construction Investment Joint-Stock Company (Viwaco).

The broken section of the water pipe, with a diameter of 1.5m, was reported last Saturday at An Khanh Commune in Hoai Duc District. It caused a water shortage for over 40,000 households in Hoang Mai, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Tu Liem and Thanh Tri districts over the past days.

A local resident in Thanh Xuan District's Nhan Chinh Ward described the situation:"Water supply stopped over the past four days and we had to find ways to save as much water as possible as we did not know when it would be restored. Many of my neighbours who do not have water tanks had to buy or ask for water from other areas for daily use."

Viwaco's director Nguyen Anh Viet said this was the worst breakdown so far since the pipe was installed five years ago. It forced the company to stop supplying water for the citizens in order to fix the problem.

"Workers are installing a new pipe about five metres underground to replace the broken one with an estimated cost of VND3 billion (US$144,000). It is expected to be completed today and water supply should be resumed," he said.

"While the new pipe is being installed, the company has tried to supply water for people in some areas from standby water supply stations and use tank trucks to provide water to hospitals and schools in the areas."

Water erupted from the broken pipe and flooded two underpasses of the Thang Long boulevard section at Yen Lung Hamlet. The water was then drained off and traffic has since resumed.

The incident was believed to be the result of an unstable land structure in the section of Thang Long Boulevard which runs across Yen Lung Hamlet, Viet said.

However, the incident had no effect on the road surface, according to Deputy Director General of the Thang Long boulevard management board Ho Ngoc Loan. — VNS